Booze Traveling with Gin: How and Where to Try It Around the World

Planning a trip? Take a page from Jack Maxwell’s book and find out how the locals enjoy their gin. You don’t have to shine shoes (as he did as a kid in Boston bars), but you should definitely stick around for a few stories.

Barcelona: Bobby Gin

Alberto Pizarro, bar manager at Barcelona’s Bobby Gin, notes that Spaniards’ love for G&Ts is a many-splendored thing: “It’s a refreshing drink for hot summers; it’s a long drink that suits the Spanish taste; it’s used as an appetizer but also a digestive and a fancy drink.”

Bobby Gin’s most popular version is made with Hendrick’s and lemon thyme; bargoers also clamor for cocktails with Modernessia, a Spanish gin, infused with goji berries. (Click here for a sneak peek of Jack Maxwell’s trip to Barcelona, and stay tuned for more when Booze Traveler returns in December.)

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Alberto Pizarro, bar manager at Barcelona’s Bobby Gin, notes that Spaniards’ love for G&Ts is a many-splendored thing: “It’s a refreshing drink for hot summers; it’s a long drink that suits the Spanish taste; it’s used as an appetizer but also a digestive and a fancy drink.”

Bobby Gin’s most popular version is made with Hendrick’s and lemon thyme; bargoers also clamor for cocktails with Modernessia, a Spanish gin, infused with goji berries. (Click here for a sneak peek of Jack Maxwell’s trip to Barcelona, and stay tuned for more when Booze Traveler returns in December.)

London (and Iceland): Martin Miller's Gin

London (and Iceland): Martin Miller's Gin

Martin Miller’s Gin became the world’s first “super-premium” version of the spirit in the late ‘90s, when its namesake (once called “the Richard Branson of the antiques world”) resolved to topple vodka in his countrymen’s affections. Distilled in the UK (in ‘Angela,’ a century-old pot still) and combined with volcanically filtered water on a fjord in western Iceland, Martin Miller’s has admirers wherever G&T is spoken. Find it in its second home at Slippbarinn, on the harbor in Reykjavik (and find more of Jack Maxwell’s Icelandic favorites here); to reimagine classic cocktails, reach for 9 Moons, a barrel-aged gin the Martin Miller’s team decided to develop after mixologists at a Scottish gastropub in New York City (are you following all the globe-trotting here?) barreled it themselves. Recreate that “aha!” moment with a new take on an Old Fashioned (2 oz. 9 Moons gin, 1 tsp water, 2 dashed Angostura bitters, 1 sugar cube). 9601280

Martin Miller’s Gin became the world’s first “super-premium” version of the spirit in the late ‘90s, when its namesake (once called “the Richard Branson of the antiques world”) resolved to topple vodka in his countrymen’s affections. Distilled in the UK (in ‘Angela,’ a century-old pot still) and combined with volcanically filtered water on a fjord in western Iceland, Martin Miller’s has admirers wherever G&T is spoken. Find it in its second home at Slippbarinn, on the harbor in Reykjavik (and find more of Jack Maxwell’s Icelandic favorites here); to reimagine classic cocktails, reach for 9 Moons, a barrel-aged gin the Martin Miller’s team decided to develop after mixologists at a Scottish gastropub in New York City (are you following all the globe-trotting here?) barreled it themselves. Recreate that “aha!” moment with a new take on an Old Fashioned (2 oz. 9 Moons gin, 1 tsp water, 2 dashed Angostura bitters, 1 sugar cube).

Chicago: Letherbee Gin

Chicago: Letherbee Gin

Letherbee’s Brenton Engel began distilling in Chicago back in 2007, when he cooked up “Illinois Joy”—moonshine—in his basement. These days, he and his team produce barrel-aged absinthe, Fernet, Bësk, and a take-no-prisoners flagship gin; call it anti-craft craft distilling. “Our ‘botanical-forwardness’ is actually a direct reaction to all the new American gins that were starting to come out years ago which, in my opinion, were mostly too light, floral, whimsical, fruity and expensive,” he says. “I wanted to make a robust gin that could stand up to the bold food ingredients I was using in my cocktails.”

Letherbee also distills limited-edition Vernal and Autumnal gins; this fall’s Bloody-Mary-ready, borscht-inspired run of 2,500 bottles is made with beets, dill, black pepper, caraway and cumin. The beauty pictured here, in turn, is the Thai Derby from Melody Nelson Bar in Berlin (6 cl Letherbee gin, 4cl lime juice, 2cl honey syrup, and a dash of Angostura bitters, shaken, strained, and garnished with sage and a pinch of Ceylon cinnamon). Thirsty for more in Chicago? Visit Gold Star Bar, one of Jack Maxwell’s favorite cash-only dives.

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Letherbee’s Brenton Engel began distilling in Chicago back in 2007, when he cooked up “Illinois Joy”—moonshine—in his basement. These days, he and his team produce barrel-aged absinthe, Fernet, Bësk, and a take-no-prisoners flagship gin; call it anti-craft craft distilling. “Our ‘botanical-forwardness’ is actually a direct reaction to all the new American gins that were starting to come out years ago which, in my opinion, were mostly too light, floral, whimsical, fruity and expensive,” he says. “I wanted to make a robust gin that could stand up to the bold food ingredients I was using in my cocktails.”

Letherbee also distills limited-edition Vernal and Autumnal gins; this fall’s Bloody-Mary-ready, borscht-inspired run of 2,500 bottles is made with beets, dill, black pepper, caraway and cumin. The beauty pictured here, in turn, is the Thai Derby from Melody Nelson Bar in Berlin (6 cl Letherbee gin, 4cl lime juice, 2cl honey syrup, and a dash of Angostura bitters, shaken, strained, and garnished with sage and a pinch of Ceylon cinnamon). Thirsty for more in Chicago? Visit Gold Star Bar, one of Jack Maxwell’s favorite cash-only dives.

Amsterdam: Razmataz

Amsterdam: Razmataz

Gin-lovers in Amsterdam would do well to head to the Oud-West neighborhood and make themselves comfortable at Razmataz, a bar and restaurant which boasts more than 50 varieties of gin and two spins on G&T exploration: a professional-led tasting for large groups and a new, DIY version in which tasters are turned loose with three varieties of gin and an array of mixers and garnishes. Bestsellers and house favorites include Bobby’s (a Dutch gin that debuted in 2014), Dodd’s (a small-batch gin from London with lots of cardamom) and G&Ts finished with a splash of vermouth. (Click here to follow Jack Maxwell to Amsterdam and across the Netherlands.)9601280

Gin-lovers in Amsterdam would do well to head to the Oud-West neighborhood and make themselves comfortable at Razmataz, a bar and restaurant which boasts more than 50 varieties of gin and two spins on G&T exploration: a professional-led tasting for large groups and a new, DIY version in which tasters are turned loose with three varieties of gin and an array of mixers and garnishes. Bestsellers and house favorites include Bobby’s (a Dutch gin that debuted in 2014), Dodd’s (a small-batch gin from London with lots of cardamom) and G&Ts finished with a splash of vermouth. (Click here to follow Jack Maxwell to Amsterdam and across the Netherlands.)

Alameda, CA: St. George Terroir Gin

Alameda, CA: St. George Terroir Gin

The artisan distillers at St. George put northern California in a bottle with their Terroir gin; Douglas fir from a ranch in nearby Mendocino gives the spirit its signature bouquet, and wok-roasted coriander adds an earthy note reminiscent of the wild scrub in the Bay Area’s foothills. For a spot-on autumn cocktail, the team suggests echoing the gin’s herbaceous notes in a Collins (gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and soda) garnished with rosemary, sage or fresh California bay laurel; to follow the gin to its source, reserve a spot at one of the distillery’s tours or tastings. For the ultimate taste of the Golden State, try Karl Steuck’s “To Grandma’s house we go,” pictured here (2 oz. St. George Terroir gin, 1 oz. Dolin Blanc, and 2 dashes Angostura Orange bitters, garnished with a Yellow Chartreuse-infused fig). 9601280

The artisan distillers at St. George put northern California in a bottle with their Terroir gin; Douglas fir from a ranch in nearby Mendocino gives the spirit its signature bouquet, and wok-roasted coriander adds an earthy note reminiscent of the wild scrub in the Bay Area’s foothills. For a spot-on autumn cocktail, the team suggests echoing the gin’s herbaceous notes in a Collins (gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and soda) garnished with rosemary, sage or fresh California bay laurel; to follow the gin to its source, reserve a spot at one of the distillery’s tours or tastings. For the ultimate taste of the Golden State, try Karl Steuck’s “To Grandma’s house we go,” pictured here (2 oz. St. George Terroir gin, 1 oz. Dolin Blanc, and 2 dashes Angostura Orange bitters, garnished with a Yellow Chartreuse-infused fig).

Madrid: Gin Club

Madrid: Gin Club

Gin Club, a bar that shares space and patrons with Mercado de la Reina, was one of Madrid’s first gin palaces; it’s also one of its best. In G&Ts, “Madrileños [natives and inhabitants of Madrid] have discovered a drink they love as much as wine and beer. Increasingly gin tonics appear as accompaniments to lunch or dinner; it is not unusual to see the marriage of our burger with gin and tonic,” says Gin Club’s Raúl Gómez. Martin Miller’s Gin reigns supreme at the Club, he reports; Bulldog—also a London Dry—is another favorite. What differentiates a gin tonic in Spain—a gin tonic at the Gin Club—from those one would find elsewhere? “The love with which we make them, of course.” 9601280

Gin Club, a bar that shares space and patrons with Mercado de la Reina, was one of Madrid’s first gin palaces; it’s also one of its best. In G&Ts, “Madrileños [natives and inhabitants of Madrid] have discovered a drink they love as much as wine and beer. Increasingly gin tonics appear as accompaniments to lunch or dinner; it is not unusual to see the marriage of our burger with gin and tonic,” says Gin Club’s Raúl Gómez. Martin Miller’s Gin reigns supreme at the Club, he reports; Bulldog—also a London Dry—is another favorite. What differentiates a gin tonic in Spain—a gin tonic at the Gin Club—from those one would find elsewhere? “The love with which we make them, of course.”

Photographer: Emilia Brandao

Caithness, Scotland: Rock Rose Gin

Caithness, Scotland: Rock Rose Gin

Martin and Claire Murray drew inspiration for their Rock Rose Gin from Viking scavengers, as one does; a millennium ago, the savage travelers harvested rose root (which the Murrays now grow in their distillery garden) to give them strength for long journeys. “We only use a small amount in our gin,” says Claire, “as it is actually very astringent and is quite a powerful flavour—we only want to add a hint!” The Murrays can’t reveal the identity of the woman who gave her name to Elizabeth, their traditional copper pot still, in print—but she’ll happily tell the story in person. Do she and Martin have a favorite way to serve their gin? “As husband and wife we can’t always agree on things and we each have our perfect serve! I like it best with a curl of orange, and Martin [likes it] with a sprig of rosemary. I think it shows that garnish is down to personal preference and what notes you enjoy and want to pull out as a dominant flavour in your gin.” If you’re inspired to pluck a bit of wild rose root as your garnish, watch your step out on the Scottish cliffs: “it can be difficult to reach!” (Follow Jack Maxwell’s travels in Scotland here.) 9601280

Martin and Claire Murray drew inspiration for their Rock Rose Gin from Viking scavengers, as one does; a millennium ago, the savage travelers harvested rose root (which the Murrays now grow in their distillery garden) to give them strength for long journeys. “We only use a small amount in our gin,” says Claire, “as it is actually very astringent and is quite a powerful flavour—we only want to add a hint!” The Murrays can’t reveal the identity of the woman who gave her name to Elizabeth, their traditional copper pot still, in print—but she’ll happily tell the story in person. Do she and Martin have a favorite way to serve their gin? “As husband and wife we can’t always agree on things and we each have our perfect serve! I like it best with a curl of orange, and Martin [likes it] with a sprig of rosemary. I think it shows that garnish is down to personal preference and what notes you enjoy and want to pull out as a dominant flavour in your gin.” If you’re inspired to pluck a bit of wild rose root as your garnish, watch your step out on the Scottish cliffs: “it can be difficult to reach!” (Follow Jack Maxwell’s travels in Scotland here.)

Mike Denman

Brooklyn: Greenhook Gin

Brooklyn: Greenhook Gin

Brothers Steve and Philip DeAngelo put a Brooklyn spin on gin at their distillery in Greenpoint, where they use New York-grown wheat in their American Dry Gin and macerated Long Island Beach Plums (once used as currency by local Native American tribes) in their one-of-a-kind Beach Plum Gin Liqueur; their overproof Old Tom, in turn, pays tribute to the robust Genevers that fortified Dutch settlers in the 18th century. Greenhook Gin makes appearances in bars and bottle shops across New York; if you head north along the Atlantic, Bar Sugo in Norwalk, CT offers Greenhook Gin as a winter warmer in its Negroni Verde, pictured above (1 oz. Greenhook Gin, 1 oz. Suze, 1oz. Cocchi Americano, ¼ oz. Blood Orangecello; stir with ice until chilled, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with orange zest). 9601280

Brothers Steve and Philip DeAngelo put a Brooklyn spin on gin at their distillery in Greenpoint, where they use New York-grown wheat in their American Dry Gin and macerated Long Island Beach Plums (once used as currency by local Native American tribes) in their one-of-a-kind Beach Plum Gin Liqueur; their overproof Old Tom, in turn, pays tribute to the robust Genevers that fortified Dutch settlers in the 18th century. Greenhook Gin makes appearances in bars and bottle shops across New York; if you head north along the Atlantic, Bar Sugo in Norwalk, CT offers Greenhook Gin as a winter warmer in its Negroni Verde, pictured above (1 oz. Greenhook Gin, 1 oz. Suze, 1oz. Cocchi Americano, ¼ oz. Blood Orangecello; stir with ice until chilled, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with orange zest).

Greater Manchester, UK: The Old Bell Inn

Greater Manchester, UK: The Old Bell Inn

The Old Bell Inn, an 18th-century former coaching inn in Saddleworth, broke the Guinness World Record for the greatest number of gins commercially available back in 2014 (with 404 total); owner Philip Whiteman says that they now have 775 different gins. It’s no trouble to pick favorites among them, reports mixologist Sam Winterbottom: “Most of the staff have one to recommend and luckily we have a diverse taste so no one tastes the same thing twice.” When asked for an unusual choice, Winterbottom recommends the first gin produced locally in Manchester: “The Thomas Dakin [pictured above] has a unique savory flavor with 11 botanicals, including horseradish, based on a 1761 recipe, definitely more obscure.” Has he ever met a gin he doesn’t like? “The non-alcoholic one would be high on the list!”9601280

The Old Bell Inn, an 18th-century former coaching inn in Saddleworth, broke the Guinness World Record for the greatest number of gins commercially available back in 2014 (with 404 total); owner Philip Whiteman says that they now have 775 different gins. It’s no trouble to pick favorites among them, reports mixologist Sam Winterbottom: “Most of the staff have one to recommend and luckily we have a diverse taste so no one tastes the same thing twice.” When asked for an unusual choice, Winterbottom recommends the first gin produced locally in Manchester: “The Thomas Dakin [pictured above] has a unique savory flavor with 11 botanicals, including horseradish, based on a 1761 recipe, definitely more obscure.” Has he ever met a gin he doesn’t like? “The non-alcoholic one would be high on the list!”

Wellington, South Africa: Jorgensen's Gin

Wellington, South Africa: Jorgensen's Gin

Craft distillation in South Africa suffered a fatal blow in the 1960s, when the then-Nationalist government revoked private distillation licenses and concentrated rights among a handful of big companies. That underwent a sea change in 1994, the year Nelson Mandela became president, South Africa adopted a new constitution—and Dawn and Roger Jorgensen began distilling spirits with local ingredients on their family farm in Wellington, 45 minutes outside of Cape Town. They produce their delicate, small-batch gin with local ingredients such as juniper grown in South Africa, “Grains of Paradise” from Ghana, naartjie, (a native citrus), and Cape lemon peels. These days, the premium microdistillation movement is gaining momentum—and Roger is thrilled to have company. “It is gratifying the market recognizes us all as providers of unique spirits that tell an African plant story. Gin is like no other spirit in the way that it can accurately describe the terroir or local environment.” Visitors who call ahead are welcome to come out to the farm for a tour and a tasting; look for Jorgensen’s Gin at top Cape Town hotels like Cape Grace and The Table Bay, at local gin bars (“of which The Gin Bar in Wale Street is a leading light,” says Roger), and online. (Click here for Jack Maxwell’s adventures in South Africa.) 9601280

Craft distillation in South Africa suffered a fatal blow in the 1960s, when the then-Nationalist government revoked private distillation licenses and concentrated rights among a handful of big companies. That underwent a sea change in 1994, the year Nelson Mandela became president, South Africa adopted a new constitution—and Dawn and Roger Jorgensen began distilling spirits with local ingredients on their family farm in Wellington, 45 minutes outside of Cape Town. They produce their delicate, small-batch gin with local ingredients such as juniper grown in South Africa, “Grains of Paradise” from Ghana, naartjie, (a native citrus), and Cape lemon peels. These days, the premium microdistillation movement is gaining momentum—and Roger is thrilled to have company. “It is gratifying the market recognizes us all as providers of unique spirits that tell an African plant story. Gin is like no other spirit in the way that it can accurately describe the terroir or local environment.” Visitors who call ahead are welcome to come out to the farm for a tour and a tasting; look for Jorgensen’s Gin at top Cape Town hotels like Cape Grace and The Table Bay, at local gin bars (“of which The Gin Bar in Wale Street is a leading light,” says Roger), and online. (Click here for Jack Maxwell’s adventures in South Africa.)

Berlin: Monkey Bar

Berlin: Monkey Bar

Berlin’s most enterprising gin enthusiast, the late Montgomery “Monty” Collins, was an Englishman—a wing commander in the RAF, more specifically, who came to the city after World War II as an administrator. Thirsty for the spirit he left back home, he developed his own gin recipe and named it for Max, his favorite Monkey at the Berlin Zoo. Black Forest Distillers consider that recipe the heart and soul of their own potion, now one of the leading gin brands in Germany. The best place to enjoy it, of course, is Berlin’s Monkey Bar, which perches on the 10th floor of the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin...and has an unparalleled view of the zoo. To enjoy gin as one does in Deutschland, prepare your own batch of Monkey Bar’s green apple gin (whizz one apple with a bottle of gin in a blender, let it rest for an hour and strain it through a cloth), or, if you find yourself at the bar, order a Rafiki (pictured here, with gin, rhubarb juice, rosemary, lemon balm, lemon juice and sugar syrup). 9601280

Berlin’s most enterprising gin enthusiast, the late Montgomery “Monty” Collins, was an Englishman—a wing commander in the RAF, more specifically, who came to the city after World War II as an administrator. Thirsty for the spirit he left back home, he developed his own gin recipe and named it for Max, his favorite Monkey at the Berlin Zoo. Black Forest Distillers consider that recipe the heart and soul of their own potion, now one of the leading gin brands in Germany. The best place to enjoy it, of course, is Berlin’s Monkey Bar, which perches on the 10th floor of the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin...and has an unparalleled view of the zoo. To enjoy gin as one does in Deutschland, prepare your own batch of Monkey Bar’s green apple gin (whizz one apple with a bottle of gin in a blender, let it rest for an hour and strain it through a cloth), or, if you find yourself at the bar, order a Rafiki (pictured here, with gin, rhubarb juice, rosemary, lemon balm, lemon juice and sugar syrup).

Oslo: Vidda Tørr Gin

Oslo: Vidda Tørr Gin

Local, independent distilling is coming back to Norway (where, until last year, the State Wine Monopoly reigned supreme). The team at the brand-spanking-new Oslo Håndverksdestilleri decided to make a Norwegian mountain gin that celebrated the Scandinavian tradition of foraging after a five-hour hike that culminated in the discovery of an ice floe in a mountain lake—which they wrapped in a jacket, hauled back home, and chopped into chunks for “one of the most beautiful G&Ts [we’d] ever had,” they remember. Vidda (“mountain plateau”) Tørr (“dry”) is infused with wild local botanicals like meadowsweet and heather; “we wanted to capture in a bottle the feeling of the mountain walk, the smells and taste of the mountain flora, and [the] experience of the extreme Norwegian climate.” To taste the winner of Vidda’s first cocktail competition in its home country, head to Lysverket Bar in Bergen and ask for bartender Elias Vega’s Blossoms and Fjords—Vidda, Marka (the distillery’s bitters), lemon juice, honey and sugar, garnished with a lemon twist. 9601280

Local, independent distilling is coming back to Norway (where, until last year, the State Wine Monopoly reigned supreme). The team at the brand-spanking-new Oslo Håndverksdestilleri decided to make a Norwegian mountain gin that celebrated the Scandinavian tradition of foraging after a five-hour hike that culminated in the discovery of an ice floe in a mountain lake—which they wrapped in a jacket, hauled back home, and chopped into chunks for “one of the most beautiful G&Ts [we’d] ever had,” they remember. Vidda (“mountain plateau”) Tørr (“dry”) is infused with wild local botanicals like meadowsweet and heather; “we wanted to capture in a bottle the feeling of the mountain walk, the smells and taste of the mountain flora, and [the] experience of the extreme Norwegian climate.” To taste the winner of Vidda’s first cocktail competition in its home country, head to Lysverket Bar in Bergen and ask for bartender Elias Vega’s Blossoms and Fjords—Vidda, Marka (the distillery’s bitters), lemon juice, honey and sugar, garnished with a lemon twist.

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Sweet Aztec Corn Punch: Post 390, Boston

Having a hard time letting go of backyard barbecues? Say your goodbyes in Boston with a creamy cocktail that makes the most of the harvest. “This late-summer punch infuses tequila, saffron, cilantro and lime with sweetcorn,” Post 390’s beverage manager, Jason Percival, explains. “Topped with lime, agave, Horchata, milk and egg whites, this is the perfect clarified cocktail to celebrate the end of summer and start of fall.”9601280

Having a hard time letting go of backyard barbecues? Say your goodbyes in Boston with a creamy cocktail that makes the most of the harvest. “This late-summer punch infuses tequila, saffron, cilantro and lime with sweetcorn,” Post 390’s beverage manager, Jason Percival, explains. “Topped with lime, agave, Horchata, milk and egg whites, this is the perfect clarified cocktail to celebrate the end of summer and start of fall.”

Kina Kir: Harvest, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Kina Kir: Harvest, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvest in Cambridge spans the seasons with an elegant, cava-based twist on a French classic; with Ketel One vodka, St. Germain and Lillet Rose, this sparkling cocktail is a crowd-pleaser. “I think the Kina Kir is a great fall drink because it acts as a bridge between summer and winter cocktails, refreshing and floral but also with enough body to stand up to colder weather," beverage director Brahm Callahan says.9601280

Harvest in Cambridge spans the seasons with an elegant, cava-based twist on a French classic; with Ketel One vodka, St. Germain and Lillet Rose, this sparkling cocktail is a crowd-pleaser. “I think the Kina Kir is a great fall drink because it acts as a bridge between summer and winter cocktails, refreshing and floral but also with enough body to stand up to colder weather," beverage director Brahm Callahan says.

Pear Mon Frère: Bourbon Steak at Four Seasons Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Pear Mon Frère: Bourbon Steak at Four Seasons Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Head bartender Torrence Swain serves fall-fruit-forward cocktails beside the fire pits on Bourbon Steak’s brick patio. Elementary apple this ain’t: the Pear Mon Frère combines Pear Calvados with apple cider, clove and cinnamon. “Pears and apples have similar profiles that work to complement each other—the clarity, purity, earthiness and slightly tart citrus taste make for a truly harmonious sip. The Pear Calvados is subtle and doesn’t overpower the notes of apple, creating a truly fantastic and slightly sweet blend of the harvest season fruits.”9601280

Head bartender Torrence Swain serves fall-fruit-forward cocktails beside the fire pits on Bourbon Steak’s brick patio. Elementary apple this ain’t: the Pear Mon Frère combines Pear Calvados with apple cider, clove and cinnamon. “Pears and apples have similar profiles that work to complement each other—the clarity, purity, earthiness and slightly tart citrus taste make for a truly harmonious sip. The Pear Calvados is subtle and doesn’t overpower the notes of apple, creating a truly fantastic and slightly sweet blend of the harvest season fruits.”

Fall Gimlet: Standby, Detroit

Fall Gimlet: Standby, Detroit

Opihr, a cardamom-heavy Oriental spiced gin, updates Raymond Chandler’s cocktail of choice (along with grapefruit sherbet, nutmeg, lime and salt) at Standby in Detroit. A “real gimlet,” as one of his characters noted in The Long Goodbye, “is half gin and half Rose’s lime juice and nothing else”—but this gimlet has character to carry it through a Michigan winter.9601280

Opihr, a cardamom-heavy Oriental spiced gin, updates Raymond Chandler’s cocktail of choice (along with grapefruit sherbet, nutmeg, lime and salt) at Standby in Detroit. A “real gimlet,” as one of his characters noted in The Long Goodbye, “is half gin and half Rose’s lime juice and nothing else”—but this gimlet has character to carry it through a Michigan winter.

Prepare to impress early fall cocktail-party guests by whipping up a batch of thyme simple syrup (bring equal parts granulated sugar and water to a simmer, add a few sprigs of thyme, remove from heat and steep for an hour); then shake ½ an ounce of said syrup with 1½ oz. Barr Hill gin, ¾ oz grapefruit juice, ¼ oz lemon juice and 3 dashes of grapefruit bitters, pour over ice in a Collins glass, then top with ginger beer. “This drink hits all the proper notes—acidic, slightly bitter, with a touch of savory sweetness that is rounded out by a ginger beer spiced finish,” Cook & Brown Public House beverage director Ryan Kennedy says. He uses Barr Hill Gin for its subtle honey notes, which “really start to evoke the upcoming longer nights but still remind you that summer was just a few weeks ago. This is as refreshing-early-fall as it gets.”9601280

Prepare to impress early fall cocktail-party guests by whipping up a batch of thyme simple syrup (bring equal parts granulated sugar and water to a simmer, add a few sprigs of thyme, remove from heat and steep for an hour); then shake ½ an ounce of said syrup with 1½ oz. Barr Hill gin, ¾ oz grapefruit juice, ¼ oz lemon juice and 3 dashes of grapefruit bitters, pour over ice in a Collins glass, then top with ginger beer. “This drink hits all the proper notes—acidic, slightly bitter, with a touch of savory sweetness that is rounded out by a ginger beer spiced finish,” Cook & Brown Public House beverage director Ryan Kennedy says. He uses Barr Hill Gin for its subtle honey notes, which “really start to evoke the upcoming longer nights but still remind you that summer was just a few weeks ago. This is as refreshing-early-fall as it gets.”

Golden Fang: Death & Co, New York City

Golden Fang: Death & Co, New York City

In the Big Apple, nothing says “autumn” like a long, contemplative walk through Central Park, catching a subway train downtown and warming yourself with a roaring...tiki drink. With lime and orange juices, and a trio of tropical syrups (ginger, passionfruit and vanilla), this gin-based shared cocktail sounds like a stowaway from a more tropical place—but New York City is a melting pot, after all, and a scorpion bowl is a fine way to stave off the cold. The drink is finished with cardamom bitters and a showstopping dash of cinnamon that catches fire tableside: “What’s unique about the flame is that it’s not only the visual appeal, but when the grated cinnamon hits the flame, the toasted aroma really fills the room and enhances the entire olfactory experience of the cocktail,” Death & Co head bartender Tyson Buhler says. Vastly preferable to a Yankee Candle.9601280

In the Big Apple, nothing says “autumn” like a long, contemplative walk through Central Park, catching a subway train downtown and warming yourself with a roaring...tiki drink. With lime and orange juices, and a trio of tropical syrups (ginger, passionfruit and vanilla), this gin-based shared cocktail sounds like a stowaway from a more tropical place—but New York City is a melting pot, after all, and a scorpion bowl is a fine way to stave off the cold. The drink is finished with cardamom bitters and a showstopping dash of cinnamon that catches fire tableside: “What’s unique about the flame is that it’s not only the visual appeal, but when the grated cinnamon hits the flame, the toasted aroma really fills the room and enhances the entire olfactory experience of the cocktail,” Death & Co head bartender Tyson Buhler says. Vastly preferable to a Yankee Candle.

Caribbean Milk Punch: Brennan’s, New Orleans

Caribbean Milk Punch: Brennan’s, New Orleans

Fall cocktails have a Caribbean flavor, in turn, for French Quarter brunchgoers at Brennan’s in New Orleans (where milk punch has been served for 70 years). With Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, Maker’s Mark, heavy cream, vanilla and nutmeg, Caribbean milk punch anticipates (and is vastly superior to) the eggnog that’ll appear at holiday parties around the country a few months later. For another taste of New Orleans, try Ojen, a Jack-Maxwell-approved licorice liquor. 9601280

Fall cocktails have a Caribbean flavor, in turn, for French Quarter brunchgoers at Brennan’s in New Orleans (where milk punch has been served for 70 years). With Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, Maker’s Mark, heavy cream, vanilla and nutmeg, Caribbean milk punch anticipates (and is vastly superior to) the eggnog that’ll appear at holiday parties around the country a few months later. For another taste of New Orleans, try Ojen, a Jack-Maxwell-approved licorice liquor.

The Phantom Regiment: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery, Nashville

The Phantom Regiment: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery, Nashville

Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery’s director of operations, James Henley, suggests “bringing the campfire to [your] cocktail” by using a smoky spirit (like mezcal or scotch), a smoked glass (a vessel that you’ve infused with aroma), or using a smoky ingredient—like Ancho Reyes, the smoked spice in the distillery’s Phantom Regiment, which also features Belle Meade Bourbon, Carpano Antica (an Italian vermouth), Nux Alpina Black Walnut liqueur, Angostura bitters and an absinthe rinse. “It’s like reading a mystery novel in a dimly lit study on a cool autumn night.” (Check out Jack Maxwell's visit to the distillery here.) 9601280

Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery’s director of operations, James Henley, suggests “bringing the campfire to [your] cocktail” by using a smoky spirit (like mezcal or scotch), a smoked glass (a vessel that you’ve infused with aroma), or using a smoky ingredient—like Ancho Reyes, the smoked spice in the distillery’s Phantom Regiment, which also features Belle Meade Bourbon, Carpano Antica (an Italian vermouth), Nux Alpina Black Walnut liqueur, Angostura bitters and an absinthe rinse. “It’s like reading a mystery novel in a dimly lit study on a cool autumn night.” (Check out Jack Maxwell's visit to the distillery here.)

Brute Force: The Dead Rabbit, New York City

Brute Force: The Dead Rabbit, New York City

Jillian Vose’s Brute Force at The Dead Rabbit is genteel and lethal in equal doses. Each well-mannered ingredient (like green-tea-infused Tapatio Blanco Tequila and Merlet Poire) has a counterpart with an ulterior motive (like Wray & Nephew overproof rum and two dashes of absinthe). Garnished with nutmeg, it’s a family holiday: sweet like your nana and sneaky like that uncle no one mentions.9601280

Jillian Vose’s Brute Force at The Dead Rabbit is genteel and lethal in equal doses. Each well-mannered ingredient (like green-tea-infused Tapatio Blanco Tequila and Merlet Poire) has a counterpart with an ulterior motive (like Wray & Nephew overproof rum and two dashes of absinthe). Garnished with nutmeg, it’s a family holiday: sweet like your nana and sneaky like that uncle no one mentions.

Brent Herrig

Fig & Whiskey: Pizzeria Vetri, Washington D.C.

Fig & Whiskey: Pizzeria Vetri, Washington D.C.

With High West double rye whiskey, Amaro Della Sirene liqueur (which builds herbaceous flavor on a caramel base), fresh lime juice and fig-and-acacia-honey jam, the Fig & Whiskey at Pizzeria Vetri bids farewell to fig season, which winds down in October. “As we get into fall and the colder months, guests tend to enjoy warmer spirits—whiskey in particular. The jam presents texture along with some richer fall-type flavors,” beverage Manager Rah-Jah Kelly says.9601280

With High West double rye whiskey, Amaro Della Sirene liqueur (which builds herbaceous flavor on a caramel base), fresh lime juice and fig-and-acacia-honey jam, the Fig & Whiskey at Pizzeria Vetri bids farewell to fig season, which winds down in October. “As we get into fall and the colder months, guests tend to enjoy warmer spirits—whiskey in particular. The jam presents texture along with some richer fall-type flavors,” beverage Manager Rah-Jah Kelly says.

Pine Needle Margarita: Loa Bar, New Orleans

Pine Needle Margarita: Loa Bar, New Orleans

Loa Bar’s Pine Needle Margarita is, quite literally, a taste of New Orleans in the fall: “Spirit Handler” Alan Walter forages in City Park for ingredients like Spanish moss and pine needles that he cooks down à la minute for cocktails. This particular harvest features añejo tequila, pine needles, thyme, Cointreau, bay and sassafras. Jack's paid a visit to Loa Bar; click here to follow in his footsteps all over the city. 9601280

Loa Bar’s Pine Needle Margarita is, quite literally, a taste of New Orleans in the fall: “Spirit Handler” Alan Walter forages in City Park for ingredients like Spanish moss and pine needles that he cooks down à la minute for cocktails. This particular harvest features añejo tequila, pine needles, thyme, Cointreau, bay and sassafras. Jack's paid a visit to Loa Bar; click here to follow in his footsteps all over the city.